Real Estate FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

Real Estate Basics

  • To make sure everyone is staying safe, here are some rules the real estate industry will be following:

    1) Showing availability will be determined by sellers and tenants, however, Side by Side can take you through any active properties during this time. We will be utilizing virtual tours and other non-person-to-person activity as much as possible.

    2) Conduct all business within the COVID-19 MDH social distancing guidelines. We ask that you please wear a mask for all showings.

    Whether you have decided to keep looking for a property to buy, ready to sell an existing home or need any support on property management during this time we are here to help. Most importantly, stay healthy and safe!

  • Yes, listing agents will require a pre-approval letter along with any offer submitting on a property. Before looking at properties you will want to talk to a real estate lender and get pre-approved.

  • We work with lenders all over the Twin Cities and can help you with your search.

  • Down payments range from 3.5% (FHA) to 20-25% on conventional loans on up unless you decide to buy a house with cash.

  • Earnest money is a good faith payment towards your purchase. Typically 1% of the purchase amount, this money will be a credit on your final loan.

  • A home inspection is ultimately your choice but highly recommended.

  • Once your offer has been accepted your lender will send out a home appraiser to determine the value of the property in relation to the purchase price.

  • Make sure you are pre-approved and let us know as soon as you can!

Real Estate Investing

  • Getting started in investing is easy, here a few ways to start learning more:

    • Research: Dive into real estate books, podcasts and blogs to start learning

    • Attend local real estate meet-ups and networking groups to start meeting other local investors

    • Determine your source of real estate funding. How will you purchase your first real estate investment? Cash, loans, hard money, private money are the most popular sources.

    • If you need real estate financing (don’t worry 99% of people start this way!), meet with a few different lenders to find the right program and get pre-approved.

    • Narrow down your search criteria – what location, what type of property, what price range (see pre-approval letter!)

    • Start searching!

  • We recommend:

    • MLS - Ask us to set up a personalized search

    • Driving for Dollars

    • Tell your friends and family what you are looking for

  • While we can answer many of your questions some of our favorite resources are local meet-ups, networking events and Bigger Pockets.

  • The best deals go very quickly in this market so give us a call or text right away!

  • Join our buyers list and we'll keep you updated on anything we find!

  • While none of us know what the future holds, we anticipate the market to be in flux over the next year. That being said, opportunity can be found in any market.

We Would Love To Help

Let's get together and discuss an investment, and how a we can work together towards financial freedom.